Emergency radio signal for airplanes



Jne 14, 1949. c. J. cAMP 2,473,050

EMERGENCY RADIO SIGNAL FOR AIRPLANES Filed Jan. l5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet1 /Ni/EA/ro/z BY Y/mr/@s J. Camp A June 14, 1949` l, c. J. cAMP2,473,050

EMERGENCY RADIO SIGNAL FOR AIRPLANES Filed Jan. 13, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet2 RAD/0 TRANSMITTER Il I /N VEN raf?. Char/es J Camp June 14, 1949. C, JCAMP 2,473,050

EMERGENCY RADIO SIGNAL' FOR AIRPLANES Filed Jan. 15. 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet5 /lvvE/vron. RAD/0 rRA/vsM/TTER By char/esj Camp \Q/`.nw

Afr'y Patented `lune 14, 1949 EMERGENCY RADI sIGNAL Fon l l martienne`Gnarles .1. camp, Palo Alto, Calif. Application January 13, 12MJ4 SerialNo. 721,848,

This. invention relates @improvements in sie:

nalling devices and has particular reference to means for Sgnallingwhenan airplane has crashed at arremote point- AFIhe principalsobj ect ofthis .invention isl to proyidefmeans-Wherebyfa radio signal will beautomatically and periodically transmitted from a point adjacent thesceneefpthe wreck, thus eliminating thehumm eleme rdinarily required inthe: broadcasting of a -distr y ss; signal.

A further object is to prox/vide a'signalling apparatus which- -Will beejected from the airplane body a-safe distance awaywf-rom the wreckageso that the signalling apparatus rwill not be damagedlby; an explosionorre: e Y' f vA stillyfurthervobject isto prQVide a time delay mechanismwherein-,the`r apparatus; after being ejectedfrom the airplane will-haresufficient time to come to rest before the antenna is released,

thereby leliminating anyA possibilityof the anv tenna being damaged.

y A; further-objectds-to produce a device of this character,l which -iseconomical to install and which requiresano majoriehanges'in theconstruction of lthe airplane.

Another object is to, providemeans whereby the signallingv` device maybe; manually f discharged -IIQIJII theplane.- if desired. v-

Other objects and advantages .will beapparent during the course. Aoftherfollowing description.'

Y In the accompanying'ldrawings'forming la part of this specificationandin `which like numerals are employed -tc designate likeparts-throughout thefsamaf Fig. E1 is a diagrammatic View showing thewreckageofl-ia plane and thefcourse f theY projected-signalling unit.,.Fig.' 2; is an enlarged, cross-sectional, fragmentary view of theunit-fas-the'sarne-Would be housed in the airplane lcodyf' f lfig.: 3`is; an enlarged cross 'sectional view of they unit showing theantennainretracted position. f f Fig. 4 is aY cross sectional lView taken on theline 0f F'ig. 3. ""7 l "'l Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail viewshowing' the releasing mechanism` for the clock mechanism. '.s

Fig. 6'is a diagrammaticview showing one form of thevcode Wheel andcontact, and Fig. '7 is a schematic'wlringdiagram of the antenna releasemechanisme# f Manyl airplanes have-crashed. in remote locations;y`particularly' in v storm y?'vieatherg Where it ne teen, dif-teun telocate .the weeral pane,

'12 (ci. 25o- 17) 2 this beine espeqallr.truamoueiemfaus er' 'or'snow-crnea. ferne.

A'plicent has thfirafdevised @signalling mechanism4v which v "carried,by lthe kpl 'ne and so positioned that't'he'shoclresultingron thelIcrash 'o`f` the planedwouldvrelease a ,signal trhsmittiflg ,mhla"@dshareine the Same from the body th., .Teile aslifiseierlt ,dstancaway from the sceneuofn-tl'ie crash that titre saine will' not be iiany*dang ofbeing consumed by afesutifle' e tl th.. l cared, t0., thereaftercause the `mechanism. after Vitz'hasl come to rest 11130.11 thegbundl'tf. 'desatar antenna Winch antnna'will assume a substantiallyverticalposig tioniand t'othen caulsefa radio transmitterfto beactuatedfor the' purpose of broadcastinggaJ code at regular intervalsand over a l considerable perodof time.

`Thus, it will vbe possible for searching parties to secure crossbearings on. the broadcasting; of thesignal from the scne of theaccidentdandmto immediately locate the'wi'eckageand thus enable rescue'parties to reach the scene without un; necessary delay. l

In accomplishing my object I f ormdn the body of the plane and ata'point'prejferably. adjacent the tail section a husing, in which is slidably secured the broadcastingvunit designated as a Whole by thenumal'' 'n In order to project the unit out of thehousingI 5 I employ acylinder l, which lis spring mounted', as shown at 8, and has-` a piston9, which is pro; vided With a pusher H engaging'the curved end of theunit 6. Within the cylinder 'l is pla-ced an.y explosive l2, which isfired by'a primer I3. which primeris in alignment with a firing pin I4.This firing pin may be manually actuated through the me.- dium of a keyI6, controlling the flow of current to a solenoid I7; however,l when aWreck occurs the impact will cause the cylinder 1 to move side, Ways ortoward the nose of the plane, with the result that the primer i3 will beengaged by the ring pin I4 and Will be exploded in the usual manner,which will in turn set oi the charge I2; and this will then project theunit 6 a considerable distance away from the plane, from which point abroadcast signal'm'ay .be transmitted. The unit 6 comprises an outercasing, I8, the sides of which are curved-inwardly (see Figs. 3 and 4).This casing has curved ends, as shown at I9. This particular shape issuch that the unit when it lands willl not rou urineceesarilyv and willnot rest on either end;` therfore, one side/will be uppermostandthrigh'this'side' the 'antenna may be projected through hinged doors2l and 22. These doors are ordinarily closed by springs not shown.

Within the casing is an inner casing 23 which is shock mounted by spongerubber, as shown at 24. This inner casing in turn has mounted within ita radio transmitter 26, a code wheel 2, which is provided with a contact28. This code Wheel is in turn driven by a spring motor 29 through themedium of gears 3l and 32.

This motor also drives a wheel Sii, having pins 33 and 35 formedthereon, the purpose of which Will be later seen.

A battery is shown at 3ft, which serves to furnish the A and B currentto the transmitter 26.

A division Wall 36 formed in the inner casing 23 serves to pivotallysupport an antenna bearing 37, in which is slidably supported acollapsible antenna designated as a whole by the numeral 38, whichantenna consists of a plurality of telescopic sections normally held intelescoping position by a solenoid actuated pin 39, which pin isactuated by a solenoid 4i.

The antenna is kept from rotating on its pivot 3'i through the medium ofa solenoid actuated pin 42, actuated by the solenoid 43.

Referring now to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the gear 32 is engaged bythe nose it of a pivoted lever 3. nose out of its engagement with thegear 32 but the same is held through the medium of a rod 48 secured tothe housing 5. (See Fig. 2.) This rod 43 has its free end extendingthrough a waterproofed sleeve 49, the purpose of which will be laterseen.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and "I, it will be noted that I have providedswitches 5l and 52, which have their ends in alignment with the pins 32and 33. These switches are in turn connected to the solenoids di and i3and to the transmitter 26.

Assuming now that my broadcasting unit has been positioned in thehousing 5 of an airplane, and that the airplane crashes, the impact ofthe crash will cause the cylinder I to advance and drive the primer I3against the firing pin I4, thus setting off the primer and the explosivecharge, with the result that the broadcasting unit will be projectedfrom its housing 5, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 1.

The unit will undoubtedly roll When it contacts the ground and willeventually come to rest on one of its sides due to the peculiarconstruction of the outer casing I8. As the unit was projected from theairplane the rod 48 will have been withdrawn from the rubber sleeve 49,and consequently the spring 41 will function to withdraw the nose i4 ofthe lever 43 from its engagement With the gear 32, and the motor 29 willnow cause rotation of the gears 3i and 32 and the wheel 30.

A delayed action of about ten minutes permits the entire unit to come torest upon the ground, after which the contact 33 will engage the switch52, which will actuate the solenoid 43, drawing in the pin 42 andreleasing the antenna so that it may revolve upon its pivot, the bottomof the antenna being counterweighted so that it will assume a verticalposition.

Further rotation of the wheel will cause the pin 35 to engage the switchiii, which in turn will actuate the solenoid lli, withdrawing the pin39, after which the spring in the antenna may iunction to cause thetelescopic .sections to be A spring 4l tends to pull this I projectedthrough the doors 2| and 22 on the top of the unit.

By this time the transmitter tubes have become properly excited and arethen capable of transmitting code signals as given off by the code wheel2l and its Contact 28.

it is of course obvious that any form of transmitter can be employed, asfor example a voice transmitter and that a microphone and miniature loudspeaker could be easily incorporated in the device without altering thespirit of the invention.

It is also obvious that instead of using a telescopic type of antenna acartridge might be used, which When red out of the unit, would inate aballoon connected to the apparatus by an aerial wire. This type ofantenna would increase the sending range of the unit and would also bereadily visible for a greater distance, so that rescue parties couldlocate the balloon traveling directly toward the same with greatestspeed.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjolned claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, comprising an outercasing having concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing shockmounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,and means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position.

2. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, comprising an outercasing having concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing shockmounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a

i collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,

means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position, and a time delay mechanism forcontrolling the ejection of said antenna.

3. A signalling unit positioned in an airplane body and adapted to beexpelled therefrom, comprising a substantially rectangular outer casinghaving concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing positioned insaid outer casing and resiliently supported therefrom, said inner casinghaving a radio transmitter, a code Wheel for actuating said transmitter,a drive mechanism there-for, means carried by said airplane forreleasing said drive means When said unit is expelled from saidairplane, an antenna positioned in said inner casing, and means forejecting said antenna through said outer casing in a substantiallyvertical position.

4. A signalling unit positioned in an airplane body and adapted to beexpelled therefrom, comprising a substantially rectangular outer casinghaving concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing positioned insaid outer casing and resiliently supported therefrom, said inner casinghaving a radio transmitter, a code wheel for actuating said transmitter,a drive mechanism therefor, means carried by said airplane for releasingsaid drive means when said unit is eX- pelled from said airplane, anantenna positioned .in said inner casing, and means for ejecting saidantenna through said outer casing in a substantially vertical position,said last mentioned means comprising a time delay antenna releaseactuated by said driving means,

5. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, comprising an outercasing having concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing shockmounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position, and a counter weight at the lower endof said antenna urging the same to rotate into vertical position.

6. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, comprising an outercasing having concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing shockmounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position, a time delay mechanism for controllingthe ejection of said antenna, and a counter Weight at the lower end ofsaid antenna urging the same to rotate into vertical position.

7. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, comprising an outercasing having concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing shockmounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position, a counter weight at the lower end ofsaid antenna urging the same to rotate into vertical position, meansnormally holding said antenna against rotation, and timing meansreleasing the last means at a predetermined time a-fter expulsion ofsaid outer casing.

8. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, comprising an outercasing having concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casing shockmounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position, a time delay mechanism for controllingthe ejection of said antenna, a counter weight at the lower end of saidantenna urging the same to rotate into vertical position, means normallyholding said antenna against rotation, and timing means releasing thelast means at a predetermined time after expulsion of said outer casing.

9. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, comprising an outercasing having concaved sides and -convexed ends, an inner casing shockmounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position, a counter weight at the lower end ofsaid antenna urging the same to rotate into vertical position, meansnormally holding said antenna against rotation, timing means releasingthe last means at a predetermined time after expulsion of said outercasing, and means restraining the timing means from action prior toexpulsion of the casing.

10. A signalling unit for expulsion from an airplane, -comprising anouter casing having concaved sides and convexed ends, an inner casingshock mounted in said outer casing and having a broadcasting transmitterpositioned therein, a collapsible antenna rotatably positioned therein,means for ejecting said antenna through said outer casing and insubstantially vertical position, a time delay mechanism for controllingthe ejection of said antenna, a counter Weight at the lower end of saidantenna urging the same to rotate into vertical position, means normallyholding said antenna against rotation, timing means releasing the lastmeans at a predetermined time after expulsion of said outer casing, andmeans restraining the timing means from action prior to expulsion of thecasing.

11. In combination with the hull of an airplane, of a casing mountedsubstantially radially in said hull and having an outer end openingtherethrough, s, signalling device held in the outer end of said casing,a cylinder in the inner end of said casing and having an eX- plosivecharge at its inner end, said cylinder being spring mounted for alateral movement at its inner end, a firing nipple provided with a capprojecting laterally from the inner end of said cylinder, and a firingpin carried by said casing and engageable by said cap upon lateralmovement of said cylinder.

12. In combination with the hull of an airplane, of a casing mountedsubstantially radially in said hull and having an outer end openingtherethrough a signalling device held in the outer end of said casing, acylinder in the inner end of said casing and having an explosive chargeat its inner end, said cylinder being spring mounted for lateralmovement at its inner end, a iiring nipple provided with a .capprojecting laterally from the inner end of said cylinder, a firing pincarrie-d by said casing and engageable by said cap upon lateral movementof said cylinder, and manually controllable means causing said iiringpin to engage said cap independently of lateral movement of saidcylinder.

CHARLES J. CAMP.

REFERENCES CITED 'I'he following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

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